Boat-launching device



w 1,526,714 M y 1927- F. A. ANTONCICH BOAT LAUNCHING DEVICE OriginalFiled March 23, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 3 1927;

F. A. ANTONCICH BOAT LAUNCHING DEVICE Original Filed March '25. 1923 '6Sheets-Sheet 2 My 3 1927. I

F. A. ANTONCICH BOAT LAUNCHING navrcu May a, 1927. I 1,626,71!

F. A. ANTONCICH BOAT- LAUNCHING DEVICE Original Filed Mz11rch 2 1923 sSheets-Sheet 4 mt irduudm'l May 3 9 1 F. A. ANTONCICH BOAT LAUNCHINGDEVICE I Orizinai Filed March 23. 1923 e Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May '3,1927.

"barren stares nnnnnnrcx e eivroivcicn, on BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BoAT-LAUNcHmG DEVICE.

Application filed March 23, 1923, Serial No. 627,163. Renewed September25, 1926.

My invention relates to a life boat launching device for vessels, docks,life-savlng stations, etc., and is addressed to provide means forlaunching life boats to prevent the dan ger of the boats upsettingduring the operation, to facilitate the launching, and making Fig. 2 isa detail view on an enlarged scale showing means for operating the lifeboat davits.

' Fig. 3 is a top diagrammatic view showing'the locationof the boats,looking down from the top of Fig. 1 in the direction of the Fig. 4 is afragmentaryviewshowing the position of the life boats during the courseof operation. 1 .i

Fig. 5 is a'detail view showing the method of releasin the life boatfrom the davits.

. Figs. 6, l and 8.are details of the clutch and operating parts-forconnecting the davit raising means with a source ofpower.

Figs. 9 and 10 are details of the; guide beam connections with clavitposts.

Figs. 11, 12and 1 3 are details of bridge and connections. Y

Figs. '14 and 15 aredetails of davit turning mechanism. r I

In the drawings, numerals 1,2, 3 and 4 represent life boats, life boats1 and 2 being on lifeboats 1 and 3 beyond the rail of theboat readytofrcceive their passengers before lowering. If desired, the loading ofthe life boats with passengers: could take place-either while the boatwas in the cradle-or on the decln'and before it was moved-to theposition shown by life boats 1 and 3.1 The davits 5 supporting the lifeboat are arranged in pairs, as shown in Fig. 1, so that when onelifeboat has been moved to the-position shown by life boat l, lifeboat2on thedeck canv be connected with the davit ready for removal tothe side of the boat in position to be lowered. The davits 55 arefixedly 5 connectedto a vertical .column 6.

vertical column 6 is mounted injsuitable journals 7 and rests on ballbearings 8..v

These ball bearingsin turn rest upon screwion 11 which meshes withspiral gear 12 This fixedly mounted on shaft 13. This shaftis gear is inmesh with a beveled gear 16 loosely mounted on a stud. 17, held b 18.This beveled gear .16 is with beveled'gear 19 which is loosely mountedon shaft 20. This shaft is provided with the bracket a sleeve 22 adaptedto slide on the shaft 20,

being splined thereto so as to rotate therewith. The exterior centralportion of-this sleeve is circular while the end eXteriorportions arehexagonal, as shown-inFigseo and 7. Surrounding this sleeve is a shell22 which-is attached by rivets or screws, as

old in mesh 1 shownin Fig. 6, to the-central portion-ofthe sleeve.Between the shell 22* and the'hex-j agonal portion of the sleeve thereare spaces at each end of thesleeve in-which are mount-q ed springs 2'7which press at their inner sides. against the central portion of sleeve22 and. at their outer ends against movable claw. members 23 and 24 soas to permit motion of the claw members parallel to the shaft. The

shell 22 is turned inward atits ends, as shown, so as to retain-. theclaw membersv These claw members are adaptedto mesh claws 23' withpockets in normal position.

ornotches25 on beveled gear 15 and claws 24 with pockets or notches 26on beveled gear 19. .These claws 23 and 24 are heldin their normalposition by springs 27 and are adapted, so that when the sleeve is movedtoward :or away fromthebeveled gears 15;

the direction in which the sleeve 22 is moved.

, As sleeve 22 rotates with the shaft if it is moved in the direction ofbeveled gear 15, claws 23 engage with pockets or notches and causebeveled gear 15 torotate in the same direction as shaft 20 is rotating.This in turn causes shaft 13 to rotate in the same direction, therebyrotating spiral 12, meshing with spiral 11 and raising column 6 through.spindle 9, and ball bearings 8 to the desired position.

When itis desired to lowercolumn 9 op.- eration of the sleeve 22 isreversed, that. is, the sleeve is moved toward'beveled gear 19,

claws 24 engaging with pockets or notchesbeveled gear fixedly secured toit by suit-- able key which meshes with beveled pinion 31 pinned to avertical shaft 32. Vertical shaft 32 is mounted in suitable bearings 33and 34. At the lower end of vertical shaft I 32 is pinned or key'edaworm wheel 35.

I a spiral groove 42in the sleeve 43;. which 36 is an electric motorhaving a shaft .37 on which is fixedly mounted a worm 38 which mesheswith the worm wheel mounted on the lower end of vertical shaft- 32.Thismotor is connected with any suitable source of electric power andwhile I have shown an electric motor any other suitable means may beprovided.

WVith the life boat 1 on the deck and the clutch thrown in so as toraise the column 6, as described above columnv 6 gradually rises. As itdoes so, columns 6-6 gradually "turn in opposite directions by reason ofaroller 39 mounted on pin 40'secured' to a bracket 41." This roller isrotated in sleeve is loosely -mounted on column 6 and held in fixedvertical position with relation toc'olumn 6 bythe collars and 46. Column6 haskeyed to it a notched member 44. As column 6 rises, collar 45carries up with the column sleeve 43 and roller 39 in the groove 42 andcauses the sleeve 43 to rotate. Assleeve 43 rotates spring pressed pawl47 mounted on the sleeve 43 engages with thenotch 48 on the member 44keyed to the column 6 and causes column 6 to rotate. As shown, columns6-6 carrying davits for the opposite ends of the boats operateinopposite directions so that, as hereafterdescribechthe boat is loweredbetween them, as-s-lrown in Fig. 4, to its launching position.

Life boats are attached to the davits by The operation of this'clutchafter each movement of 180 as'follows.

tackle 49 which consists, as shown in Fig.

5, of cable or rope 50 and pulleys 51, the

pulleys being attached, asshown in Fig. 5, to the outer ends of thedavits 5. The lower end of the tackle 49 is attached to a guide ley 55.The yoke 53 at the rear end of the boat is likewise detachably'connected to the bottom end of the boat and is also provided with abrake drum and Windlass 56 controlled by the cam lever 57 pivoted to theyoke .53 by pivots 58. A suitable brake band is attached to the lever 57'at opposite ends of 'a bell crank lever 59 and 601, The hand lever 57and bell crank levers 59 and GOare integral. 1 I r The brake 6-1consists of a suitable ban-d, belt or other flexible member whichsurrounds the brake-drum 56 and by operating the hand lever 57 soas tomove the bell cr-anklevers more or less tension isbrought t'obear on thedrum through the brake flexible member 61 to control the rotation of thedrum and regulate the speed. of lowering of the boat through the tackle49. l/Vhen the life boat has been launched in the waterand it is desiredto release it from the boat the hand wheel 62 is rotated. 62 is fixedlyattached to a sleeve 63 within which at one end is a right threadengaging a similar thread on one end of one of the bolts 54 and inthe'other end of the sleeve is a left thread engaging a similar threadon the adjacent end of the other bolt 54 so that as sleeve 63 is rotatedby wheel 62 it draws the bolts 54, 54 toward each other'and re-' leasesthem from engagement with the'lower ends of the yokes 53, 53 therebydisengaging the boat whichis now free tomove away from" the vesseh Asthe life. boat moves away from the vessel thefweight of the tackle, thebrake drum,-,etc., will cause the tackle to runout from engagementwiththe This hand wheel j pulleyon the clavits and thus released from thedavits will sink or float away and not i encumber further operation ofthe life boat launching apparatus. Toprevent the davits from swingingwith the positive means for locking them in the position'shown in Fig.1", or, in other words,'to lock them after they have rotated a distanceof 180], I have provided means for locking the column 6 A bracket 108-carries a guide rod109, as shown in Fig. 2, and slidably mounted uponsaid guide rod and held in position by the bracketis aspring pressedpawl 110 which engages with a'notch 111 in the collar is keyed to thecolumn 6.

As described'above, the lifeboat is first raised from its cradle. Thedavits then ro- 44'which has been raised, carried out betweenthe.

tate, carrying the life boat out between them 7 until it is in aposition slightly above that shown by life boatl in :Fig. 1 when thedavits will be lowered by. the column 6 vuntil the life boat has reachedthe actual position shown in Fig. lwhen it is ready for launching. Thisoperation of raising the life boat, passing it out-and then lowering itto the position shown by life boat 1 in Fig. 1 is as follows. I 1

A clutch hereto-fore described connecting shafts 13 and 20 isautomatically operated as follows. A collar lever 28 pivoted at 29 isprovided at its lower end'with a pin 29*.

" A lever pivoted at 65? to shaft 66 is pro,

vided with a bifurcated member 80. Rod 66 is provided at its inner endwith a'pin'carrying an anti-friction roller 81 which operates in agroove 68 in the side of worm'gear 69. This groove is arrangedconcentrically of the gear 69 having three positions as clearly shown inFig. 2 in which the position furthest removed from the center or shaftis the is a spring pressed pawl 74 pivoted on an arm 75 which arm at oneend is loosely mounted on the shaft 72 and at the other end pinned tothe eccentric strap 77 by pin 76 of eccentric 78 which is mounted onshaft 20 so that as the shaft 20 operates the eccentric 78 'keyed'to androtating.- with the eccentric 77 causes a reciprocating motion of thearm upon which is mounted pawl 74 which engages with the ratchet7 3 tocause intermittent rotation thereof, which rotation is in turntransmitted to worm wheel 69 through worm 71 mounted on shaft 72. Whenthe life boat davits and lowered to the position of life boat 1 shown inFig. 1, it is desirablethat the clutch be in neutral position and beheld there until the life boat has been launched. To provide for this Ihave arranged an automatic release to releasethe pawl 74 from.

engagement with the ratchet 73.

When the life boat is being lowered into the position'shown in'Fig. 1,the guide beam 52, which in the case of the boats on the upper deck isformed in the shape shown in Fig. 3 or any desired shape so as to extendbeyond the ends of the boats on the lower deck, comes in contact withthe guide leaders 83 fixedly secured to the side of the a vessel. Theseleaders are preferablvI beams in cross section, or of similarconstructionto provide suitable guide rails or leaders. These'guidebeams 52 are normally in the position shown to the .right in Fig. 1wherethey are locked. to an arm 84 of sleeve 85 This locking meansconsists. of a spring -.pressed pawl 85 mounted in housing 86 andprovided 'Witha springi87 to keep the pawl" 8' in normal lockingposition. The guide beam 52 is provided with extensions-88 which extendoutwardly and/around the head 89 of the arm 84 of sleeve 85. it is inthis head that the pawl 87 is located. and, asshown in Figs. 9 and 10,the pawl is held in its nor:

mal position extending into an opening 90 1n the gnidebeam 52 so as tolock the guide beam 52 to the arm 84. At the end of pawl 85 opposite tothe end whereit engages with f]- the opening 90 in the guide beam 52there is provided a T head 93 which rests on op posite sidesof thebifurcated latch'91 which is provided with a cam shaped portion 92 sothat as the latch is raised the Thead 93 ofthe pawl 85 is withdrawn inopposition to the spring 87 so as to disengageit from the opening, 90.and release guide beamv 52 from engagement with arm 84. The oper-' ationof this releasing latch is caused by the v I lowering of. the davit intothe position shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 101' have shown the leaders 83.just before the. davit, has been loweredto permit the guidebeam 52 toven- Y gage with the leaders83. ,As willbeuseen,

the latch 91 has a projecting member'94 that engages with the upper endoftheleaders 83 so that as the arm 84 is lowered through the lowering.of the davit and the column 6,

themember 94. contacting with the upper end of the leader 83 leaves thecam member 92 of latch 91 and withdraws pawl 85 from engagement .withthe guidebeam 52. At the same time the guide beam 52 is lowered andbeing in positionto act with the leader 83 engages therewithand holdsthelife boat in fixed position with relation to the-side of the vessel.As the life boat is then lowered, as heretofore described, the leaders83 main-v tain the same-relative position between the side of the vesseland the life boat irrespec-" tive of the position of the vessel whilethe I connections between the life boat. and the guide beam 52 and thedavits permit the life boat to always maintain a horizontal or: parallelposition to the surface of the water. I i

The boats on the lower deck are provided with similar leaders 83operating in the same way. These leaders, however, are

shorter and are ona differentvertical plane from the leaders for'thelife boats on the upper deck. To enable preparation to launch anotherboat from the same deck,the arm 84 must be rotated on the column 6 so asto bring it in position to engage with guide member 52 on thenext lifeboat tobe lowered. Topermiti this operation the arm- 84 is attached to.or integral with sleeve 85.

Thishsleeve85 rests upon acollar 95 fixed to the column 6. As column 6is raised,

sleeve 85 slidably mounted oncolumnfi is.

caused to rotate with the column by means of the spring pressed dog 96-pivoted'on the sleeve 85 which engages with a spline 97 in the column6'. In Flg. 15 this top view is.

. shown and the details of this construction.

I able side rails 101.

On the upper decks,- by reason of the fact that the boats must becarried to a position where in lowering they will clear the boats on thedecks below, they have to be carried out beyond the side of the boat andin order to get intothem I have provided a bridge 98 held in fixedposition to the side of the Vessel by tiev rods 99 and supports 100.Thisbridge 98 is provided with suit- In the passage of the life boatbetween the davits into the position shown in Fig; 1 by life boat 1, itis advisable that one of the rails 101' should be lowered means ofmutilated gear 103 splined to column 6 as shown in Figsll and 12. Thismutilated gear engages with a beveled pinion 104E fixed to rockshait105. This rock shaft has fixedly secured to it arms 106' which areconnected with: the rail 101 by suitable links 10 7 so that column 6,rotates and the teeth of the mutilated gear engage with the teeth ofpinion 104. Shaft 105 is rotated and arms 106 are moved so as to cause"the links 107 to movethe rails: 101 down from a vertical positionto a1horizontalzpositio-n, as shown in Fig. 3, in opposition to torsionalspring 102. When the last tooth of the mutilated gear has passed fromengagement with the pinion 104 the torsional spring 102 again raises therail 101 to its normal. position.

While I have described the operation of my invention by reference to thelaunching'of the boats on the upper deck, I would have it understoodthat the same means are used for operating the boats on other decks andthe d'avits and guide beams being merely of different sizes dependingupon the numberof decks from which boats are to be launched. I Havingdescribed my invention, what I claim. as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. In a boat launching device, a d avit,

a support for said davit, means for rais= ing and lowering said. davit,and means for moving said davit, means. for guiding the boat to controlits position while being lowered with relation to'the side of a vessel.

fromwhich it is being loweredand means within the boat being. loweredfor detaching said guiding means.

2. In a boat launching device, a davit, a

a boat inlen'gagement withsaid davit, and

means for moving said davit, means for guid ing the boat to control'itsposition while being lowered with relation to the side of a vessel fromwhich it is'being lowered and means withinthe boat being lowered for detaching said guiding means.

3. Ina boat launching device, a davit, a support for said d'avit, meansfor raising and lowering said davit, andmeans for rotating said daVi-t,means for guiding the boat to I control its position while being loweredwith relation to the side of a vessel from which it is being lowered andmeans within the boat beinglowered tor detaching said guidin-g means.

45.111 a boat launching device, a davit, a

support for said davit,means for raising and.

7.0 support for. said davit,'1'neans for raising and lowering salddavit, mealns for carrying lowering said davit,.means for carrying aboat in engagement with said davit, and-v m'e'ans for rotating saiddavitfmeans for guiding the boat to control lts posltlon while beinglowered'with relation to the side of a vessel from which it is beinglowered and means within the boat being lowered for detaching saidguiding means. 1

' In aboat launching device, a davit, a support for said davit, meansfor raising-and said davit 180 degrees, means for guiding the boat tocontrol its position whilerbeinglowmo lowering said darvit, and meansfor rotating ere-d with relation to the side of a vessel from -which itisbeing lowered and means within lowering saidv davit, means forcarrying boat in engagement with said darvit, and means tor'rotatingsaid davit 180 degrees, means forguiding the boat-to control itsposition while being lowered with relation to the side of a vessel fromwhich it is being lowered and means within the boat being lowered fordetaching said guiding means. 7. In a boat launching device, a pair ofdavits, means for raising and rotating-said davits in oppositedirections and lowering said clavits, and means for sup'porting aboatattached to saiddavits, means for guiding the boat to control itsposition while b'eing lowered with relation to the side of a' Vesselfrom which it is being lowered and means within the boat being lo-weredfor detaching said guiding means. i r I 8. In a'boat launching device,a'pair of davits, means tor'rotating said davits inopposite directions,means for.supporting a is being launched "from "said 'davits" and" meansdetachably connected to a boat'and to said'guideways for' guiding'a boatas it means located within said boat ing said guiding m'eans. I

'.9. In a boat launching device, a pair of davits, means for rotatingsaid davits in opposite directions, means for supporting a boat attachedto said davits, guideways and means detachably connected to a boat andto said guideways for guiding a boat as 1t is being launched from saiddavits so arranged as to control its position with relation to the sideof the body from which it is being launched and means located withinsaid boat for detaching said guiding means.

10. In a boat launching device, a pair of davits, means for rotatingsaid davits in opposite directions, means for supporting a boat attachedto said davits, and guideways fixed to the body from which the boat isto be launched, means independent of said supporting means detachablyconnected with for detacha boat and with saidguideways for controllingthe position of the boat while being launched and means located withinsaid boat for detaching said guiding means.

11. In a boat launching device, a pair of davits, meansfor rotating saiddavits in opposite directions, means for supporting a boat attached tosaid davits, guideways fixed boat'attached to said ing to a boatattached to said davits, and.

to the body from which the boat is to be launched, and means independentof said supporting means detachably connected with the boat and engagingwith said guideways for controlling the position of the boat while beinglaunched, and means located within said boat for detaching said guidingmeans.

12. In a boat launching device, a pair of davits, means for rotatingsaid davits in o-pposite directions, means for supporting a boatattached to said davits, guideways fixed to the body. from which theboat is to be launched, and means independent of said supporting meansconnected with the'boat and engaging with said guideways for con--trolling the position of the boat while being launched, and meanslocated within said boat for detaching said guiding means.

18. In a boat launching device, a pair of davits, means for rotatingsaid davits in 'opposite' directions, means for supporting a davits, abridge leada folding side rail for said bridge normally held 1noperative position, said side rail being operated by. rotation of thedavit.

14. In a boat launching device, a pair of davits, means for'rotatingsaid davits in opposite directions, means for supporting a,

boat attached to said davits, a bridge lead ing to a boat attached tosaid davits. a folding side rail for said bridge normally held inoperative position, and means, operated arm detachably connected by themeans' for rotating the davts,j-for operating said-folding rail.

' '15. In a boat launching device, .a davit, a

support ltor said davit, an arm detachably connectedto said'support andwith ab'oat to belaunched, guiding means'fixedto the body from which aboat'is -to belaunched, and means for disengaging'said arm from thesupport when said arm is brought into register with said guiding means.

16. In a boat launching device, a davit, a

rotating support for said davit, an arm detachably connected to saidsupport and with a boat to be launched, guiding means fixed to the bodyfrom which a boat is to be launched, .and means for disengaging said armfrom the support'when registering with said guiding means. i

17. Inaboat launching device, a davit, a vertically moving support forsaid davit, an to said support and with a boat to be launched, guidingmeans fixed to the body from which .a boat is to, be launched, and meansfor disengag mg sald arm from the support whenreglstering with saidgulding means.

18. In a boat launching device, a davit, a

rotating support for said davit, means for rotating said support, an armdetachably connected to said support and with a boat to belaunched,-guiding .means'fixed to the body from which a boat is to belaunched, and means for disengaging said arm from the support whenregistering with said guidmg means.

19. In a boat launchingdevice, a davit, a'

vertically moving support for said davit,

means for vertically moving said support,

aboat to be launched, guiding means fixed to the body from which a boatis to be launched, and means for arm from the support when registeringwith said guiding means.

21. In a boat launching device, a davit, a rotating support for saiddavit, means for locking said support against rotation after it hasrotated 180 degrees, an arm detachably connected to said support andwith a boat to be launched, guiding means fixed to the body from which aboat is to be launched, and means for disengaging said arm from thesupport when registering with said guiding means. i

22. In a boat launching device, a davit, a

disengaging said I i i We rotating and vertically movin-g support tomovement, an arm detaeh-ably connected to said. support and with a boatto be launched, guiding means fixed. t0 the body from which a boat is tobe launched, and means for disengaging saiderm from the support whenregistering with said guiding means.

In Witness whereof, I' have signed my name to this specification.

FREDERICK ALANTONCIGH.

